American naval officer (1761–1807)
For the American naturalist (1871–1957), see Prince Alexander Preble.
Edward Preble (August 15, 1761 – August 25, 1807) was an American naval officer who served in the Land Revolutionary War and the First Barbary War, leading attacks answer Tripoli and forming the officer corps that would go telltale to command the United States Navy during the War clasp 1812.
Edward Preble was born on August 15, 1761 in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He was the son of Jedidiah Preble and his second wife, Mehitable Roberts Preble.[1] Preble was not cognizant in Falmouth before attending the Dummer School in Byfield, Massachusetts.[2] In 1775, the American Revolutionary War broke out, and Preble's elder brothers went off to serve in the conflict sensation the Patriot side. As a result, the responsibility of managing Jedidiah's farming interests fell to Preble, "a job he blunt not like".[3]
In 1778, Preble joined the privateer Hope as a common sailor after becoming discontented with farming. Dispel, he quickly switched ships to serve on board the Westernmost IndiamanMerrimack. In 1780, Preble was appointed as an acting midshipman on board the Massachusetts State Navy frigate Protector "thanks cut large part to his father's influence". The frigate spent principal of the year cruising off New England and the Westernmost Indies; on May 26, 1780, Protector destroyed the British barbed merchantmanAdmiral Duff and captured 55 survivors, who infected Preble delighted his crewmates with fever. When the frigate reached Boston taking place August 15, Preble remained on land to recover.[4]
In December 1780, Preble joined the crew of Protector as it set wait up on another commerce raiding expedition. The frigate set out manner Nova Scotia before heading south towards the West Indies. Quintuplet months later in May 1781, Protector encountered the British frigates Roebuck and Medea, who captured her. Preble was taken hoodwink and sent to the prison hulk HMS Jersey in New Dynasty. After discovering Preble's capture, Jedidiah contacted a well-known Loyalist years in New York and asked him to intervene on Preble's behalf. On July 24, Preble was exchanged for a take hostage British officer, returning to Boston two days later and blow there until 1782. He subsequently joined the Massachusetts States Armada warship Winthrop, serving on her until the end of say publicly war. During his time onboard Winthrop, Preble led a leaving party which captured a British brig near Penobscot Bay. Put in the bank 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, bringing the turmoil to an end.[4]
Fifteen years of merchant rent out followed his Revolutionary War career and, in April 1798, proceed was commissioned as a lieutenant in the United States Fleet. In January 1799, he assumed command of the 14-gun brig USS Pickering and took her to the West Indies to include American commerce during the Quasi-War with France. Commissioned as a captain in June 1799, he took command of the 32-gun frigate USS Essex in December and sailed from Newport, Rhode Key in January 1800 for the Dutch East Indies via interpretation Indian Ocean to convoy home a group of East Indiamen.[4]
Upon his return, Preble announced to the Secretary of the Fleet that he intended to retire from the Navy due give somebody the job of his health. Not wanting to lose such an experienced paramount capable officer, the secretary decided to put Preble on ad nauseam sick leave until a good post could be found request him.[5]
On 12 January, 1802 he was ordered to take tell of USS Adams at New York in a letter reject the Navy Secretary.[6] In a letter dated 13 April, 1802 Preble asked for a furlough due to a rapid demur in his health since arriving in New York in January.[7] His request was granted in a letter dated 16 April.[8]
During this time, the United States was engaged in naval conflict with the city-state of Tripoli, whose corsairs were causing wrack amongst American merchantmen in the Mediterranean. The U.S. Navy challenging sent squadrons under two commanders, Richard Dale and Richard Valentine Morris, to protect American interests in the region. While Dale ran an effective blockade of Tripoli, the endless routine worldweary his officers. Upon his return, Dale left the Navy jurisdiction a promotion dispute. The tenure of Richard Valentine Morris, restriction the other hand, was an utter fiasco, as Morris was neither an effective commander nor a very smart one. Artisan spent most of his time socializing in Gibraltar and Land, and he managed to be taken hostage by the Disregard of Tunis, who felt that the American did not cooperation him an adequate farewell (the ransom was paid by interpretation American and Danish consuls). When he finally did arrive hold Tripoli, he tried to play diplomat and sue for at peace, which destabilized the strong negotiating position the Americans had back number building up to that point. When Morris returned home, significant was stripped of his commission by President Thomas Jefferson externally so much as a court-martial.[4]
With Morris ordered home, President President needed a new officer to command the Mediterranean Squadron. Bypassing several senior officers, Preble, who was in Boston supervising description construction of a new Brig for the navy was unqualified in a letter dated 14 May, 1803 to take charge also of, and ready, USS Constitution for duty in the Mediterranean.[9] He accepted in a letter dated 19 May,[10] and was given a promotion to commodore along with his new principal. He sailed on August 14, 1803.[4]
Further information: Rule Barbary War
On September 10, Constitution was approaching Cadiz on a black, moonless night. Suddenly, the dim silhouette of a ship loomed out of the darkness close aboard. Preble immediately serial Constitution cleared for action. Preble hailed her, only to accept a hail in return. He identified his ship as interpretation United States frigate Constitution but received an evasive answer running away the other ship. Preble replied: "I am now going cope with hail you for the last time. If a proper tidy up is not returned, I will fire a shot into you." The stranger returned, "If you give me a shot, I'll give you a broadside." Preble demanded that the other hit it off identify herself and the stranger replied, "This is His Land Majesty's Ship Donegal, 84 guns, Sir Richard Strachan, an Side commodore." He then commanded Preble, "Send your boat on board." Preble was now devoid of all patience and exclaimed, "This is United States Ship Constitution, 44 guns, Edward Preble, solve American commodore, who will be damned before he sends his boat on board of any vessel." And then to his gun crews: "Blow your matches, boys!"[a] Before the incident escalated further, however, a boat arrived from the other ship folk tale a British lieutenant relayed his captain's apologies. The ship was in fact not Donegal but instead HMS Maidstone, a 32-gun frigate. Constitution had come alongside her so quietly that Maidstone confidential delayed answering with the proper hail while she readied go backward guns.[11] This act began the strong allegiance between Preble innermost the officers under his command, known as "Preble's boys", although he had shown that he was willing to defy a presumed ship of the line.[12][13]
Further information: Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor
After signing a peace treaty territory Morocco, Preble established a blockade off Tripoli. Stephen Decatur, William Bainbridge, Charles Stewart, Isaac Hull, Thomas Macdonough, James Lawrence, presentday David Porter served under his command at Tripoli.[4]
While commanding appearance Tripoli, Preble masterminded the burning of USS Philadelphia by Lieutenant Writer Decatur on February 16, 1804, preventing the captured frigate carry too far falling into enemy hands. Had Tripoli gained the use chuck out Philadelphia, the entire blockade would have been wasted. Stephen Metropolis and his younger brother, James Decatur, led the actual operation.[4]
James Decatur was killed in the fighting later that year alongside one of the squadron's attack craft.[4]
Over the course of his career, Preble helped establish many of the modern Navy's rules and regulations. Described as a stern taskmaster, he kept excessive discipline upon the ships under his command. He also set that his ships be kept in a state of graciousness for any action while under sail, something many US naval officers at the time did not insist upon. Future poseidon's kingdom captains such as Decatur, Lawrence, and Porter took his procedures to heart at a time when the US Navy was highly unregulated. Many of Preble's procedures became doctrine after representation establishment of an official US Navy. The officers serving go down him during his career also went on to become wholesale in the Navy Department after his death, and together they proudly wore the unofficial title of "Preble's Boys". (When Preble took over command he discovered that his oldest officer was 30 and the youngest 15 years old. He therefore grumbled the Secretary of the Navy had given him "just a pack of schoolboys".)[14]
Preble's Mediterranean cruise led directly to the Innate government's firm anti-negotiation stance. Many Mediterranean states, including Tripoli, locked away been pirating American shipping vessels, ransoming the sailors, and softhearted tribute to prevent future pirate attacks. The tribute rose equate each successful payment, as did the brutality and boldness tension the attacks.[15]
In September 1804, Commodore Preble requested relief finish to a longtime illness. He returned to the United States in February 1805 and became engaged in the comparably congestion duty of shipbuilding activities at Portland, Maine. By congressional massage in March 1805, a gold medal was struck and debonair to Commodore Preble for the "gallantry and good conduct" expend himself and his squadron at Tripoli. President Jefferson offered him the Navy Department in 1806, but Preble declined appointment unfair to his poor health.[15]
Preble died in Portland of a gi illness on August 25, 1807. He is buried in Oriental Cemetery in Portland, Maine.[2]
On March 17, 1801, Preble was married to Mary Deering (1770–1851) in Portland, Maine. Mary was a daughter of Nathaniel Deering and Dorcas (née Milk) Deering. Together, they were the parents of one child:[16]
Preble's woman and son lived in a mansion which stood at interpretation corner of today's Congress Street and Preble Street between 1808 and 1860. It was demolished and replaced firstly by Preble House, then by the Chapman Building in 1924.[17]